Chris Redfern
Encyclopedia
Chris Redfern is the current chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party
. He won election to the chairmanship of the Ohio Democratic Party in December, 2005 and reelection in 2008. He was previously a Democratic
State Representative for Ohio House
District 80
and had been a member of the Ohio House since 1999.
Before becoming party chairman, he was the Minority Leader in the Ohio House of Representatives. During Mr. Redfern's term as Minority Leader, he was the first Democratic Leader to oversee multiple gains in the Ohio House of Representatives (during the 2004 election) since former Speaker of the Ohio House Vern Riffe
.http://ohiohousedems.com/index.php?page=display&id=127 Mr. Redfern was also an Ottawa County
commissioner from 1993 to 1999 - the youngest in the state when his term began in 1993.
Central to Chairman Redfern’s success has been the “88-County Strategy” which recognizes that Democrats win by competing for votes in every area of Ohio, metropolitan or micropolitan, industrial or agricultural, urban or rural.
The strategy bore fruit immediately in 2006 with the election of Governor Ted Strickland
and Senator Sherrod Brown
, whose victories proved that Democrats could compete in any region of the state. Chris Redfern led the Ohio Democratic Party into key municipal elections, capturing the Canton mayor’s office for the first time in sixteen years and helping to elect the first African American mayor in the history of Mansfield, Ohio.
In 2008, Chairman Redfern set the party’s sights on the general election and began constructing the largest field operation ever envisioned by a state political party. Together, the Campaign for Change and the Ohio Democratic Party
registered 105,862 new Ohio voters and engaged in 3,552,486 conversations with Ohioans at their doors or on the phone. Fueling these record-breaking figures were the efforts of more than 60,000 committed volunteers from neighborhoods across Ohio.
On Election Day, Ohio Democrats delivered a decisive victory for Barack Obama
and picked up three new congressional seats. Democrats also captured the Ohio House
on a legislative map drawn by state Republicans, a feat never before seen in Ohio history.
Chairman Redfern attended Bowling Green State University
where he earned both a Bachelor’s Degree and then his Master’s Degree in state and local government. He received the BGSU Accomplished Graduate Award in 2004.
, Redfern was caught on a WTOV-TV
camera using a derogatory term in referring to opponents of the health care law
saying, "It's in the very base terms we win these arguments. Every time one of these fuckers says, excuse my language..." Redfern later remarked that he thought the camera was off. "The reporter was working her BlackBerry
and the photographer was standing away from his camera, but I guess it was on."
Ohio Democratic Party
The Ohio Democratic Party is the Ohio affiliate to the United States Democratic Party. Former Ohio House Minority Leader Chris Redfern is the Ohio Democratic Party chairman. Redfern was elected to office in December 2005...
. He won election to the chairmanship of the Ohio Democratic Party in December, 2005 and reelection in 2008. He was previously a Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
State Representative for Ohio House
Ohio House of Representatives
The Ohio House of Representatives is the lower house of the Ohio General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio; the other house of the bicameral legislature being the Ohio Senate....
District 80
Ohio House of Representatives, 80th District
Ohio House district 80 encompasses both Ottawa and Erie Counties, with the major population centers being Port Clinton, Rocky Ridge, Genoa, Marblehead, Sandusky, Huron, Berlin Heights and Vermilion. District 80 is largely a rural, agricultural district with a few tourist attractions such as...
and had been a member of the Ohio House since 1999.
Before becoming party chairman, he was the Minority Leader in the Ohio House of Representatives. During Mr. Redfern's term as Minority Leader, he was the first Democratic Leader to oversee multiple gains in the Ohio House of Representatives (during the 2004 election) since former Speaker of the Ohio House Vern Riffe
Vern Riffe
Vernal G. Riffe Jr. was an American politician of the Democratic party. Riffe served for many years in the Ohio House of Representatives and was the longest serving speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives in the history of that institution, holding that office for 20 years.-Life and political...
.http://ohiohousedems.com/index.php?page=display&id=127 Mr. Redfern was also an Ottawa County
Ottawa County, Ohio
Ottawa County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 41,428. Its county seat is Port Clinton and is named either for the Ottawa Indians who lived there, or for an Indian word meaning "trader"....
commissioner from 1993 to 1999 - the youngest in the state when his term began in 1993.
Central to Chairman Redfern’s success has been the “88-County Strategy” which recognizes that Democrats win by competing for votes in every area of Ohio, metropolitan or micropolitan, industrial or agricultural, urban or rural.
The strategy bore fruit immediately in 2006 with the election of Governor Ted Strickland
Ted Strickland
Theodore "Ted" Strickland was the 68th Governor of Ohio, serving from 2007 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served in the United States House of Representatives, representing ....
and Senator Sherrod Brown
Sherrod Brown
Sherrod Campbell Brown is the senior United States Senator from Ohio and a member of the Democratic Party. Before his election to the U.S. Senate, he was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Ohio's 13th congressional district from 1993 to 2007...
, whose victories proved that Democrats could compete in any region of the state. Chris Redfern led the Ohio Democratic Party into key municipal elections, capturing the Canton mayor’s office for the first time in sixteen years and helping to elect the first African American mayor in the history of Mansfield, Ohio.
In 2008, Chairman Redfern set the party’s sights on the general election and began constructing the largest field operation ever envisioned by a state political party. Together, the Campaign for Change and the Ohio Democratic Party
Ohio Democratic Party
The Ohio Democratic Party is the Ohio affiliate to the United States Democratic Party. Former Ohio House Minority Leader Chris Redfern is the Ohio Democratic Party chairman. Redfern was elected to office in December 2005...
registered 105,862 new Ohio voters and engaged in 3,552,486 conversations with Ohioans at their doors or on the phone. Fueling these record-breaking figures were the efforts of more than 60,000 committed volunteers from neighborhoods across Ohio.
On Election Day, Ohio Democrats delivered a decisive victory for Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
and picked up three new congressional seats. Democrats also captured the Ohio House
Ohio House of Representatives
The Ohio House of Representatives is the lower house of the Ohio General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio; the other house of the bicameral legislature being the Ohio Senate....
on a legislative map drawn by state Republicans, a feat never before seen in Ohio history.
Chairman Redfern attended Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University, often referred to as Bowling Green or BGSU, is a public, coeducational research university located in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The institution was granted a charter in 1910 by the State of Ohio as part of the Lowry Bill, which also established Kent State...
where he earned both a Bachelor’s Degree and then his Master’s Degree in state and local government. He received the BGSU Accomplished Graduate Award in 2004.
Controversy
At a September 20, 2010 Democratic Party event hosted by the United SteelworkersUnited Steelworkers
The United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union is the largest industrial labor union in North America, with 705,000 members. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, U.S., the United Steelworkers represents workers in the United...
, Redfern was caught on a WTOV-TV
WTOV-TV
WTOV-TV is the NBC-affiliated television station for the Ohio Valley that is licensed to Steubenville & Wheeling. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 9 from a transmitter in Mingo Junction, Ohio. Owned by Cox Enterprises, the station has studios in Steubenville. Syndicated...
camera using a derogatory term in referring to opponents of the health care law
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is a United States federal statute signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010. The law is the principal health care reform legislation of the 111th United States Congress...
saying, "It's in the very base terms we win these arguments. Every time one of these fuckers says, excuse my language..." Redfern later remarked that he thought the camera was off. "The reporter was working her BlackBerry
BlackBerry
BlackBerry is a line of mobile email and smartphone devices developed and designed by Canadian company Research In Motion since 1999.BlackBerry devices are smartphones, designed to function as personal digital assistants, portable media players, internet browsers, gaming devices, and much more...
and the photographer was standing away from his camera, but I guess it was on."